Turn-table



(No Model.)

W. H. PRATT '8v J. BRUNNER.

lTURN TABLE.

Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

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WILLIAM H. PRATT AND JOHN BRUNNER, OF MOUNT VERNON, OHIO. I

TURN-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,126, dated March 27, 1894. A Application tiled July 29, 1893. Serial No. 481,840- (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. PRATT and JOHN BRUNNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Knox and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Turn-Tables; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

This invention relates to turntables which are chiefly designed for turning cars and locomotives end to end, and for the usual purposes for which this class of devices is constructed.

The object of the invention is to obviate a continuous gil-der resting principally or wholly upon a center bearing and prevent the tilting causing shocks and strains incident to the continuous gir-der construction which soon gives out under these conditions.

A further object of the invention is a shallow pit which saves expense in constructing and cleaning.

A further object of the inventionis simplicity and economy of construction.

A further object of the invention is the application of power directly to the trucks su pporting the ends of the turntable, whereby the table can be operated quickly and economicall Ayfurtherobject of the invention is the placing of the rails passing over it solidly and substantially at the same level as the rails approaching the table outside of the pit.

Thisinvention consists essentiallyof a turntable of two sections which have exible connections at their inner ends and which are supported on trucks at the outer ends, and in such other novel features and combination of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the annexed drawings, in which-` Figure 1 is aside elevation of the turntable, showing the pit in section, the rails and ties being removed from the right hand section of the span. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the span as it appears in Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a cross section of the center bearing on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Figli isaside elevation of a truck for supporting the outer end of the span showing the means for propelling the said truck. Fig. 5 is a detail in side and end elevation showing the flexible joint between the sections.

The pit O is shallow and slopes from the center and circumference to a drainage point. .A stone or other support O is located at the center to form a base for the center bearing and a bed O2 of stone or other masonry surroundsthe pit to form a substantial base for the track R.

The turntable is composed of two sections Q and Q' which are iiexibly connected at their inner ends and have their outer ends supported with trucks E adapted to run on the circular track R. The sections Q and Q are each composed of side beams suitably connected together laterally by cross beams and braces. The flexible joint between the inner ends of the sections Q and Q may be of any form which will ad mit of the ends having limited vertical flexure and prevent their separation. As shown in Fig. 5 this joint is formed of the angle bars X which are riveted to the webs of the guides at the ends, also to the plates Y which form the flexible joint or connection. The trucks are composed of parallel beams E and wheels E4, the latter being set to adapt them to the curvature of the track R. Power may be applied to the wheels E4 in any convenient manner. As shown, a sprocket wheel N is attached to the wheel E4 and a sprocket chain n connects the sprocket wheel N with a sprocket pinion n2 suitably mounted on a stand n mounted on a platform N. The platform N is supported by extending two of the cross ties which rest upon the turntable near its end. The axle of the' sprocket pinion n2 is provided with cranks n3 by means of which through manual power the truck is propelled to actuate the turntable, or the axle of the -sprocket pinion n2 may be connected to an electric motor, steam engine or other Vpower by means of which the truck can be propelled. c

The center bearing is composed of a plate P having a vertical stud S and an annular [lange I, and a plate D centrally apertured to receive IOO the stud S, and having a depending annular shoulder d. Ball bearings M are placed between the two plates and held in place by the depending annular shoulder d. The upper surface ot` the plate P is raised above the flange T, thereby causing the balls M to be retained in place against the shoulder d by gravity. A space L is provided between the shoulder d and the flange T to receive foreign matter that is forced from the path of the balls M.

What we claim to be new in our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A turntable comprising spans which are supported at their inner ends on a center bearing and are flexibly connected together and at their outer ends on trucks, substantially as described.

2. A turntable comprising spans which are connected together at their inner ends so as to be liexible vertically and supported on a center ball bearing, trucks forming supports for the outerends of said spans, substantially as described.

3. A turntable composed ot' spans supported at their inner ends on a center bearing, and flexibly joined supported on their outer ends by trucks, a mechanism to be operated by manual or other power having connection with one or more wheels of the trucks, propelling the same and actuating the table, substantially as described.

4. A turntable comprising a shallow pit, th e licor of which sloping to a common drainage point, a center and outer supports, a structure composed of two spans which are connected at their inner ends by a flexible joint and supported on a center bearing, trucks for supporting the outer ends of the spans, and a power operated mechanism attached to oneor more of the truck wheels for actuating the turntable, substantially as described.

5. A turntable com prisinga shallow pit, the door of which sloping to a common drainage point, a center and outersupports, astructure composed of two spans which are connected at their inner ends by a flexible joint and snpported on a center bearing, trucks for supporting the outer ends of the spans, and a power operated mechanism attached to one or more of the truck wheels for actuating the turntable, which turntable rests iirmly and solidly upon its center bearing and end trucks, bringing the height of the rails which carry the moving load at the saine height as the rails which approach the table on the ground outside ot' the pit, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the plate P having vertical stud and an annular flange, of a plate D centrally apertured to receive said stud and having an annular depending shoul der, ball bearings between the two plates and held by said shoulder, the upper surface of the plate P being raised above said flange and a space being provided between said shoulder and Iiange, substantially as set forth and for the purpose specied.

In testimony whereof we afx our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM l-I. PRATT. JOHN BRUNNER. Witnesses:

HARRY D. CRiTeHFIELD, A. L. FLINT. 

